Machine for folding bedsheets and other articles in soft and pliable sheet form



MACHINE FOR FOLDING BBDSi-IEETS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Feb. 1, 1955 11. JESUS 2,770,457

IN SOFT AND PLIABLE SHEET FORM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Henr/ A50 luz/en Jen/.4

///5 14/72 rnqy Filed. Feb. 1, 1955 L. L. JESUS MACHINE FOR FOLDING BEDSHEETS AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SOFT AI QD PLI ABLEI SHEET FORM 7 3 sheets-95mm 2 flan/v Zia/7 [1/5/20 Jaw/5 1956 'H. L. L. JESUS 2,770,457

MACHINE FOR FOLDING BEDSHEETS AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SOFT AND PLIABLE SHEET FORM Filed Feb. 1, 1955 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent MACHINE FOR FOLDING BEDSHEETS AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SOFT AND PLIABLE SHEET FURM Henri Leon Lucien Jsus, Boulogne-Billancourt, France Application February 1, 1955, Serial No. 485,505

7 Claims. (Cl. 270-68) This invention relates to a machine for folding bed sheets and other articles in soft and pliable sheet form, the said machine being characterized by the fact that it comprises, in combinaton, a fixed feed conveyor, a fixed multiple-apron delivery conveyor of which the upper plies pass beneath the rear end of the feed conveyor, and a multiple-apron auxiliary conveyor, the aprons of which are imbricated in those of the delivery conveyor, its upper plies, which move in the opposite direction to the upper plies of the delivery conveyor, being partly able to move between the said upper plies, at least plumb with the rear end of the feed conveyor so that an article coming from the feed conveyor can be displaced in one or the other direction according to whether the upper plies of the auxiliary conveyor project or not, in the direction of the feed conveyor across the upper plies of the delivery conveyor, the movements of the auxiliary conveyor being automatically controlled by detector means sensitive to the passage of the articles to be folded, at least on the feed conveyor.

In its preferred embodiments the new folding machine is further characterized by the following features and combinations thereof;

The detector means consisting of an electric switch actuated by a feeler arm act on electromagnetic control means which bring about the displacements of the auxiliary conveyor;

The position of the detector means is adjustable, at least in the longitudinal direction of the machine, so that the position of the fold can be adjusted along the length of the article and according to the said length;

There are a number of detector means divided into groups, one group being distributed over the length of the feed conveyor and another group over the section of the delivery conveyor comprised between the rear end of the feed conveyor and the front end of the delivery conveyor, the switches of the detector means of the group corresponding to each conveyor being connected in paral lel and the homologous switches in both groups being connected in series, the arrangement being such, moreover, that the switches of the first group of detectors are open when no article is passing over the feed conveyor, while the switches of the second group of detectors are closed. Thanks to this arrangement an article such as a bed sheet can be folded at any given point along its length, whatever may be this length which is automatically measured;

The detector means are measuring means which, by a sweeping movement, automatically explore at least a part of the upper ply of the feed conveyor, in the direction contrary to its direction of travel, each time an article passes over the said conveyor;

These sweeping means consist of an oscillating lever actuated by a cam which, each time an article passes, is made to rotate by an electromagnetic coupling of which the engagement is controlled by the detector means,

the arrangement being such that the cam makes a comice plete turn for each article passing over the feed conveyor;

The coupling driving the cam is of the single turn type.

Other special features and characteristics of the invention are given in the following description which relates to a few specimen embodiments of the machine, the said specimens being cited solely as illustrations and shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an overall view of a first form of embodiment of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a plane view along the line II-lI of Fig. 1, showing the imbrication of the plies of the delivery conveyor and the auxiliary conveyor;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the formation of the fold in a bed sheet;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views showing the diiferent positions of the fold according to the positions in which the detector means are adjusted;

Fig. 8 shows the connections of several detectors distributed on top of the feed conveyor and the front part of the delivery conveyor;

Fig. 9 is a partial view of an alternative embodiment with detector means automatically executing a sweeping movement on the feed conveyor;

Fig. 10 is a diagram of the electrical connections of the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an axial cross-section of the single turn coupling device used in the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 9;

Figs. 12 and 13 are partial views, at an angle of to Fig. 11, showing the coupling in the disengaged and engaged positions respectively.

In the specimen embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the folding machine comprises a feed conveyor A formed of belts 1 passing over rollers 2 and 3. Below the rear roller 3 of the conveyor A is a delivery conveyor B formed of belts 4 passing over the rollers 5 and 6. Between the belts 4 of the conveyor B are arranged the belts 7 of a swivelling auxiliary conveyor C comprising a fixed roller 8 and as many individual mobile rollers 9 as there are belts 7 passing over the rollers 8 and 9, the rollers 9 as a whole being made integral with an oscillating frame 10 which can swivel round the axis of the roller 3, the arrangement being such that the conveyors B and C can occupy the relative positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

At one or more points outside the upper plies of the belts 7 the oscillating frame 10 is connected to the plunger 11 of a control electromagnet 12, the circuit of which is controlled by detector means D arranged above the upper ply of the feed conveyor A.

The detector means D comprise a feeler arm 13 which controls a switch 14, normally open and connected in series with the electromagnet 12 and a current supply (not shown in the drawing).

The apparatus which has just been described operates in the following manner, it being assumed that the belts of the conveyors A, B and C move in the direction shown by the arrows on Figs. 1 to 4.

When a piece of linen such as a bed sheet X is carried along by the conveyor A but has not yet operated the feeler 13 of the detector means, the auxiliary conveyor C occupies the position shown in Fig. 4.

Immediately upon the front edge of the sheet X coming into contact with the feeler arm 13, it causes the switch 14 to close, that is to say, it causes the excitation of the electromagnet 12. The auxiliary conveyor C then swivels upwards round the axis of the roller 8 in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The conveyor C being thus raised and its plies pro jecting beyond those of the delivery conveyor B, when the sheet X reaches the said conveyor C it is carried along by the latter in the direction of roller 8 (Fig. 3). As soon as the rear edge of the sheet X leaves the 'feeler arm 13, the circuit of the electromagnet 12 is cut and the auxiliary conveyor C swivels downwards to the idle position, in which the upper plies of the belts 7 are retracted under the upper plies 4 of the delivery conveyor B.

The part of the sheet which is resting on the conveyor B is thereupon carried along towards the roller 5, the part of the sheet which is still arriving from the conveyor A coming to rest on top of the first part of the sheet, which is thus folded at Z at the same time as it is delivered from the machine.

The position of the detector means D can be adjusted according to the length of the sheet fed into the machine, the distance between D and the rear end of the conveyor A corresponding substantially to half the length of the sheet X if the latter is to be folded in the middle.

The position of the fold along the length of the sheet can also be changed by adjusting the position of the detector means accordingly.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show several positions of the fold Z according to the position of the detector means D. in Fig. the fold is to be at the rear third of the sheet X; in Fig. 6, the fold will be made in the middle, while in Fig. 7 the fold is at the front third.

It is also possible to provide two sets of detector means distributed above the conveyors A and C, as shown in Fig. 8, such an arrangement automatically ensuring formation of the fold at a given fraction (determined by adjustment) of the length of the sheet, whatever such length may be.

In Fig. 8 the contactors of the detectors Dal, Da2, D513 and D04 are normally open and shut when a sheet passes over the feed conveyor, while the contactors of the detectors Dbl, Db2, Db3 and D124 are normally closed 7 and only open when a sheet passes over the auxiliary conveyor (or the section of the delivery conveyor situated in the same zone).

The contactors having. the same number in both groups are in series and the two groups of contactors are in series with the winding of the electromagnet 12 and the supply of exciting current (not shown in the drawing). It will thus be seen that:

In the case of a sheet of maximum length the electromagnet is controlled by the functioning of the contactors of Dal and Dbl; I

In the case of a slightly shorter sheet, the electromagnet is controlled by the functioning of the contactors of Dal and D112; I

In the case of a sheet of medium length, the electromagnet is controlled by the functioning of the contactors of Da3 and D123;

Finally, in the case of a short sheet, the electromagnet is controlled by the functioning of the contactors of D124 and Db4.

Figs. 9 to 13 relate to an alternative embodiment of the machine in which the position of the foldis automatically determined at a given fraction of the length of the sheet, whatever such length may be, thanks to mobile detector means automatically making a sweeping exploration movement on the upper ply of the feed conveyor A. a V

In this form of embodiment, the detector means Dc, comprising a feeler arm 23 and a contactor 24, are mounted on an oscillating lcver'25 swivelling at 26; the end of .the arm 25a of the lever 25 works in conjunction with a cam 27 which has a circular peripheric area 27:!

and a rack 27b. g

The contactor 24 of the detector means Dc (Figs. 9 and 10) controls the circuit of the electromagnet 12 and of an engaging electromagnet 28 (Figs. 9, l0 and 11).

The cam 27 is driven through a single turn coupling 29 (the engagement of which is controlled by the sheet.

4 electromagnet 28) by a driving pulley 3t} revolving at uniform speed.

. The single turn coupling, which is a transmission device in which a driving shaft rotates continuously and, at each engagement, drives a driven shaft, making'it execute a complete revolution followed by automatic disengagement, can be of any known type and does not in itself form part of the invention.

in the embodiment shown purely by way of illustration, the coupling comprises (see Figs. l1, 12, 13) a driving cogwheel 31 keyed on the driving shaft 32, the free end of which is centered in a hollow shaft 33 on which the cam 27 is keyed. The shaft 33 carries a cylinder 34 in which slides a piston 35 subjected on the one hand to the action of a spring .36 and on the other hand to the action of a swivelling lever 37, connected to the mobile armature 33 of the elcctromagnet 28.

The piston 35 has a driving head 39 with teeth which can work in conjunction with the teeth of the cog-wheel 31. Round the periphery of the cog-wheel 31 is a guiding crown 40 with at least one break in its circumference or opening diia, the width of which corresponds substantially to that of the driving head 39 which can engage therein, the annular space between the perip iery of the wheel 31 and the inside cylindrical surface of the crown id being such that the head 39 can engage with the wheel and be driven by the latter when it is in the above-1nentioned space (Fig. 13).

When the electromagnet 28 is excited and attracts the armature 38, the swivclling lever 37 (which is normally in the idle position shown in Figs. ll and 12) pushes the head 39 into the opening 49a of the crown 49 and causes it to engage with the cog-wheel 31. As soon it is thus driven, the head 39, imprisoned by the crown 49, remains engaged with the wheel 31 until the latter has made a complete revolution. When this revolution is completed, the head 39 suddenly escapes from the crown 44) through the opening 40a, and is thus disconnected from the wheel 31 thanks to the spring 36 pushing back the piston 35, integral with the head 3%.

In other words, the cam 27 makes a complete revolution each time that the electromagnet 23 is excited.

In this embodiment the machine functions in the following manner, the various organs, at the start, being in the positions shown in Figs. 9, 11 and 12:

When a sheet arrives on the conveyor A, its front edge, touched by the feeler 23, closes the contactor 24. The coupling 29 comes into action and the cam 27 begins to revolve. Its circular part 27a, which corresponds to the length of the shortest sheets, does not act on the lever 25. If the length of the sheet is greater than the permitted minimum, the rack of the cam begins to act on the lever 25 and causes it to make a sweeping movement in the direction contrary to that of the displacement of the As soon as, owing to the relative movements of thesheet and the detector Dc, the rear edge of the sheet escapes from the feeler 23, the contactor 24 opens and the electromagnets 12 and 28 are de-excited (when the movement of the section of sheet which has left the feed conveyor A is reversed and the fold is formed), the cycle recommencing with the next sheet.

The speed of travel of the conveyors of rotation of the cam, of movement of the arm 25 having been suitably selected, it is easily seen that the fold in the sheets fed into the machine will unvaryingly be situated at the same fraction of the length of each sheet, whatever may be the length of the sheet, and even ifthis length differs from one sheet to the next. v

It'is obvious that the specimen embodiments of the novel sheet-folding machine, described above and shown in the accompanying drawing, have been given solely by way of illustration and are in no way restrictive, and that any detail change can be made therein. Thus, the auxiliary conveyor can be stationary, in which case the delivery conveyor swivels round the axis of its rear roller.

What I claim is:

1. Machine for folding soft and pliable materials in sheet form, of the category of bed sheets, comprising: a stationary feed conveyor with a delivery end; a delivery conveyor with several aprons passing over end rollers and of which the upper plies pass under the delivery end of the stationary feed conveyor; an auxiliary conveyor with several aprons passing ever end rollers and imbricated in those of the delivery conveyor, and of which the upper plies move in the opposite direction to that of the upper plies of the delivery conveyor, one at least of the delivery conveyor and auxiliary conveyor being mobile in relation to the other in a direction such that the plane defined by its upper plies can pass from one side or the other of the plane defined by the upper plies of the other conveyor so that a sheet of soft and pliable material coming from the delivery end of the feed conveyor can be displaced in one direction or the other according to whether the upper plies of the auxiliary conveyor or those of the delivery conveyor are nearest to the delivery end of the feed conveyor; control means operatively connected to that one of the two conveyors which is mobile in relation to the other, to control the movements of the said conveyor; and at least one detector means sensitive to the passage of each soft and pliable sheet of material over the feed conveyor and connected to the control means so as to actuate them.

2. Machine according to claim 1, in which the detector means can be displaced along the feed conveyor.

3. Machine according to claim 1, in which the delivery conveyor is stationary, while the auxiliary conveyor is mobile by swivelling round one of its end rollers.

4. Machine according to claim 1, in which the control means consist of an electromagnet with a stationary winding and a mobile armature connected to the mobile con veyor, and the detector means consist of a feeler bearing on the feed conveyor and an electric switch operatively connected to the said feeler and to the winding.

5. Machine according to claim 1, in which the detector means is mounted on one end of a swivelling arm so arranged that the said detector means sweeps over a part of the length of the feed conveyor so as to enable the fold to be positioned at a given fraction of the length of the sheet of material, whatever such length may be.

6. Machine according to claim 5, further comprising a cam to control the swivelling arm, driving means for actuating the cam, coupling means to connect the driving means operatively with the cam and control means to actuate the coupling means and operatively connected to the detector means so as to cause the arm to oscillate at each passage of a sheet of soft and pliable material over the feed conveyor.

7. Machine for folding soft and pliable materials in sheet form, of the category of bed sheets, comprising: a stationary feed conveyor with a delivery end; a delivery conveyor With multiple aprons passing over and rollers and of which the upper plies pass beneath the delivery end of the stationary feed conveyor; an auxiliary conveyor with multiple aprons passing over end rollers and imbricated with those of the delivery conveyor, and of which the upper plies move in the direction opposite to that of the upper plies of the delivery conveyor, one at least of the delivery conveyor and the auxiliary conveyor being mobile in relation to the other in a direction such that the plane defined by its upper plies can pass from one side or the other of the plane defined by the upper plies of the other conveyor, so that a sheet of soft and pliable material coming from the delivery end of the feed conveyor can be displaced in either direction according to whether the upper plies of the auxiliary conveyor or those of the delivery conveyor are nearest to the delivery end of the feed conveyor; control means operatively connected to that one of the two conveyors which is mobile in relation to the other, so as to control the movements of the said conveyor; and a number of detector means divided into two groups so distributed as to work in conjunction, respectively, with that part of the soft and pliable sheet which is on the feed conveyor and that part of the said sheet which is on the delivery conveyor, each detector means comprising a control feeler and a switch connected operatively with the said feeler so as to be actuated by it, the switches of the detector means being connected in parallel in each group, while the switches of the homologous detector means in both groups are connected in series, the switches of the group corresponding to the feed conveyor being so arranged as to be closed only when a sheet passes over the said conveyor, while the switches of the other group are so arranged as to be opened only when a sheet passes over the delivery conveyor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,670,974 Mayer May 22, 1928 2,011,934 Kahn Aug. 20, 1935 2,015,550 Elberty Sept. 24, 1935 

